Method for production of carbureted water gas



March l0, 1936.

H. J. CARSON METHOD FQR PRODUCTION OF CARBURETED WATER GAS Filed April29, 1932 @W JM March 10, 1936. H, J, CARSQN 2,033,511 METHOD FORPRODUCTION OF CARBURETED WATER GAS y Filed April 29; 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet2 By Wb Patented Mar. l0, 1936 PATENT oFFlcE METHOD FOR PRODUCTION OFCAR- BURETED WATER GAS 'Hiram J. Carson, Omaha, Nebr.

Applicatill April 29, 1932, Serial N0. 608,277

12 Claims.

This invention relates \to improvements in method for production ofcarbureted water gas, and more specically to an improved carbureter andmethod of carbureting the Water gas with i hydrocarbons during passageof the water gas through the carbureter,

'I'he present application is a continuation in part of myco-pending,applicat ions Serial No. 353,576, filed April 8, 1929 andSerial No. 498,457,

filed October 31, 1930, to which reference may be had.

As is well known, the usual carbureted water gas set -includes agenerator, a carbureter and a superheater provided with the necessaryconnections for transfer of gases, air and steam and adapted to besupplied from suitable sources with the necessary air, steam andhydrocarbons. for carrying out the process of manufacture. In carryingout the carbureting step, it has here- 0 tofore been the generalpractice to employ a carbureter having a secondary combustion chamber atthe top thereof with the checkerwork of brick or other suitableheat-absorbing material positioned therebelow, the blast gases 5 being.burned by the admission of secondary air for combustion inl such topchamber and the resultant products then passed downwardly through thecheckerwork of brick and out through the remaining apparatus. During the0 gas-making period, the water gas or blue gas is likewise admitted tosaid top chamber and the hydrocarbons for carbureting the water gassimultaneously admitted into said chamber from the top thereof in adownward direction, coinciding with the downward flow of the watergases, the resultant products then being passed lthrough the-checkerworkof brick downwardly and thence from the bottom of the carbureter to thevsuperheater and from the latter to such other apparatus as desired,examples of such well known carbureting sets and process of carburetingthe water gas, being shown in patents to Young 1,468,190 of September18, 1923, and Odell 1,762,100 of June 3, 1930.

Several serious disadvantages are inherent in A such prior knowncarbureters and methods of carbureting above indicated. It is well knownthat optimum conditions for the gasification and/or cracking oi thehydrocarbons when carbureting water gas, require the maintenance oftemperatures within relatively narrow limits. If the temperatures becometoo high, the -hydrocarbons employed for carbureting will beovercracked, with resultant deposits oi carbon and formation ofobjectionable compounds, such as naphthalene. On the contrary, if thetemperatures become too low, the hydrocarbons employed forcarburetingare incompletely cracked and other objectionable compoundsformed, such as indene and styrene. Furthermore, wide 5 variations orfluctuations of the temperatures in the carbureter cause a rapiddeterioration of the heat-absorbing materials employed therein, such asiirebrick, because of the thermal shocks incident to the widetemperature changes. A In the usual apparatus for and methods ofcarbureting, the hydrocarbon particles are injected downwardly intoandtravel downwardlyl with a passing stream .o f water gas. The greaterdensity of the hydrocarbon particles causes these 1.5 to have a greaterdownward velocity than the .gas particles and, also, the greater densityof the cooler gas particles as they are cooled by contact with thehydrocarbon particles,A causes these4 to have a greater downwardvelocity than the` hotter gas particles and the hotter gas particles alesser downward velocity. The downwardly .moving hydrocarbon particlesare thus surrounded with cool gas particles and the cracking and/orgasification of the hydrocarbon particles is retarded by thissurrounding atmosphere of cooler gas. Further, the undecomposed steamand water gas enter the carburetor below the desired temperaturesfor-cracking and must be heated therein. i In the prior knowncarbureters and methods of carbureting, such as hereinbefore referredto, where the hydrocarbons are introduced in the top chamber of thecarbureter in a downward direction simultaneously with the downward owof the water gas prior to passage through'the checkerbrick, tests haveshown that the temperatures fluctuate from an average minimum of 640Fahrenheit to an average maximum of 1886 Fahrenheit with extreme meanvariations from 40 513 to 2000 Fahrenheit.` Such wide uctuations oftemperatures necessitate frequent shutdowns of the set and replacementof the checkerbrick. Further, in such prior types of carbureters, thelining of the top chamber and upper courses 'of 45 the checkerbrickbecome very highly heated during the air blasting periods. When thewater gas is admitted during the ,gas-forming periods, and thehydrocarbons simultaneously therewith into such top chamber, theexcessive temperatures at rst induce overcracking of the hydrocarbonswith resultant deposit of carbon and formationof naphthalene. As thegas-making period is continued, the checkerbrick is cooled very rapidlyby the heating and vaporization of the hydrocarbon oils admitted; andindene and styrene are frequently formed. The cooling action on thecheckerbrick also frequently proceeds to such a point that the water gasand undecomposed steam admixed therewith, which continues to enter thecarbureter, cannot be properly carbureted and, in the next succeeding orblasting period, it becomes difilcult to ignite the air blast gases forsecondary combustion.

Onel object of my invention is to provide, in the manufacture ofcarbureted water gas, a carbureter and method of carbureting water gaswhich will eliminate or minimize all of the disadvantages hereinbeforepointed out in connection with prior known types ofy carbureted watergas sets and, more specifically, to maintain the temperatures in thecarbureting and hydrocarbon cracking zones within such minimum andmaximum temperatures as will prevent the formation of objectionablecompounds and minimize the deterioration of the heat-absorbing materialin the carbureter.

Another object of my invention is to provide, in connection with themanufacture of carbureted water gas, improved means and method forpreheating the water gas prior to the introduction ofthe hydrocarbonsthereinto; and to inject the hydrocarbons into the stream of water .gasin such manner and at such time as to insure optimum conditions ofoperation of the set and production of carbureted water gas withoutobjectionable compounds being formed.

Another object of my invention is to provide improved means and methodfor insuring ignition of the blast gases entering the carbureter at thebeginning of the air blasting periods.

Other objects of my invention will more clearly appear from thedescription and claims hereinafter following. y

In the drawings forming a part of this application, Figure 1 is a partvertical section, part elevation, of a water gas generating set showingmy improvements incorporated therein and adapted to carry out theimproved process. Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of a modied formof carbureter adapted to be used in lieu of the carbureter shown inFigure 1, and also adapted to be used for carbureting the down run gasesand for superheating the up run steam, and Figure 3 is a view similar toFigure 1 illustrating another arrangement of water gas generating setadapted to carry out the improved process.-

In said drawings, and referring first to Figure l the generator isindicated broadly by the reference character I0; the carbureter by thereference character 20; and the usual gas superheater by the referencecharacter 30.

The generator I0 is or may be of any well known or desired type in whichthe column of fuel is indicated at II, the vsame being shown supportedon a grate I2 and to which the air for blasting is adapted to beadmitted through the pipe I3, controlled by valve I4, the air beingsupplied from any suitable source, as will be understood. The fuel isadapted to be admitted through the top of the generator through thepassage I5 normally closed'by the coaling lid-I6.

'Ihe blast gases and generated Water gas are passed from the generatorIU to the top of the carbureter ,.2|l by a passageway 40 Within which isdisposed a control valve 4I. Water gas generated by adown run in thegenerator is delivered from the bottom of the generator to thepassageway 40 by pipe I1, havingr control valve I8 included therein, asshown.

Steam is supplied from any suitable source such as a boiler through pipe42 having branches 43 and 44 adapted to conduct the steam to the top ofthe generator and bottom, respectively, as shown, the admissionof steambeing controlled through suitable valves 45, 46 and 41. Steam may alsobe admitted to the top of the superheater 30 through pipe 48 havingcontrol valve 49 therein, when the set is operated in the mannerhereinafter described. When steam is admitted to the superheater, theWater gas may be drawn oif from the bottom of the generator through thepipe 50 having control valve 5| therein and passed from the pipe 50through a Water seal or other suitable apparatus not deemed necessary todescribe.

Air for secondary combustion of the blast gases is preferably admittedthrough pipe 2| into the passageway 40 between the valve 4I andcarbureter, said supply of air being controlled Aby the valve 22. Thecarbureter 20, as shown, is provided in the top portion thereof with acombustion chamber 23 and below the latter with a body of heat-absorbingmaterial, such as a checkerwork of brick 24supported by an arch 25.Below the arch 25 is the carbureting chamber or hydrocarbon admissionzone 26 and below the latter a second body of heat-absorbing material 21is shown which may also be a checkerwork of brick or the like, but whichmay be omitted when desired. The arch 25 is so located as to provide thedesired proportions and/or spaces in 23, 24, 26 and/or 21. terial 21 maybe used when desired to further and complete the cracking and/orgasification of any hydrocarbons uncracked in 26, but may be omittedwhen desired, as for example, when not' required or when very heavy highcarbon oils are used which would deposit carbon thereon and tend to clogthe openings therein.

The hydrocarbons or enriching agents are supplied to the carburetingchamber or hydrocar- 'oon admission zone 26 through a set of pipes 28-28and/or another set of pipes 2li-29, each of which is provided with asuitable control valve |28 and |29, respectively, said pipes being morefully described hereinafter.

From the bottom of the carbureter 20, the burned blast gases and thecarbureted water gas, as the case may be, are conveyed to the bottom ofthe superheater 30 through passageway 52 and thence pass upwardlythrough the regenerative zone, also preferably comprised of acheckerwork of brick or other suitable material 3|. In the case of theburned blast gases, the same are adapted to pass up into the stack,32through the ue 33, controlled by valve 34 or to such other apparatus asdesired. During the gasmaking period, the carbureted water gas isdelivered from the top of the superheater as through pipe 35 and passedthrough a water seal to other apparatus where it may be treated in theusual manner. i

Assuming a column of fuel in the generator I0 and the same having beenignited, air is admitted through the pipe I3 and the blast gases arethen vconducted through the passageway 40 (valve 4| being open); burnedin the passageway 40 and combustion chamber 23 by admission of secondaryair through the pipe 2| with valve 22 open, the burned blast gases thenpassing downwardly through the body of heat-absorbing material 24;through the chamber 26; and thence up through the superheater 30 and outAthrough the The heat-absorbing ma-` stack 82, the stack valve 84 beingopen, as will Abe understood.

wardly through the carbureting chamber or hydrocarbon admission zone 26where it is carbureted, as hereinafter described, thence throughVpassageway 52 and up through the superheater 30 and out through thepipe35. When an up run is being made, the valve 4l is open and lvalve I8closed and, during the down run, valve 4I is closed and valve i8 open.When desired, the steam is admittted through pipe 48 to the top of thesuperheater, then passed downwardly therethrough and then upwardlythrough the carbureter 'from which it is delivered, to the top of thegenerator, valve 4l being open. The blue gas formed is then drawn offthrough the -pipe I Referring now more particularlyto the carbureter,and process steps which take place therein, it will be observed that theblast gases, during the air-blasting period, are or may be substantiallycompletely burned prior to and in passing through the checkerwork 24.The burned gases in passing through the checkerwork 24 heat the latterto such temperature as may be desired and, after passing therethrough,will also serve to heat the refractory lining of the carbureting chamberor hydrocarbon admission zone 26 and the lower body of checkerwork 21(when used), as well as the body of regenerative material 3l in thesuperheater. During the gas-forming period, the water gas and suchundecomposed steam as may be mingled therewith, `is preheated in itsdownward passage throughv the combustion chamber 23 and checkerwork 24so that, by the time it enters the carbureting chamber 26, it hasattained the desired temperature for most effectively heating,vaporizing and cracking the hydrocarbons injected thereinto.

In injecting the enriching agents into the chamber 26, it will beobserved that the same are injected at a plurality of points around theperiphery of the chamber or periphery of the downwardly moving stream ofgas, and laterally into and/or against the stream of superheated gas.The enriching agents may be injected horizontally, as through the pipes28 or at an upward angle toward the arch 25 as by the pipes 29. Ineither event, the enriching agents are injected from the periphery intothe body of the downwardly moving gas stream, the injection being underrelatively high velocity which may be 1.Qaried to suitv the enrichingagents employed and/or the degree of cracking desired. In actualpractice, nozzles or spuds will preferably be used on the inner ends ofthe pipes 28 and 29 and adjusted so as to sprayy the enriching agents inthe desired manner and at the desired angle relative to the downwardlymoving stream of gas. As the hydrocarbon yparticles of the enrichingagents are projected into the stream of preheated Water gas underrelatively high velocity, their velocity or momentum is progressivelyand gradually decreased as the same move into and penetrate the gasstream and, simultaneously therewith, the hydrocarbon particles will beprogressively heated, vaporized and cracked as the hydrocarbon particlesimpinge against the gas particles until all of the hydrocarbon particlesare l cracked. The greater the mass of such hydrocarbon particles andthe greater their velocity, the farther the same will penetrate into thedescending gas stream and the angle at which injected may be variedaccordingly. The larger or heavier the Vhydrocarbon particles injected,

`vthe greater the need for more-velocity vand distance of penetrationinto and against the gas stream in order to insure the complete crackingthereof, as will be understood As the hydrocarbon particles impinge onsuccessive particles of the descending gas, the same are graduallyheated, vaporized and cracked and diminished in size until completecracking occurs and the resultant carbureted mixture is passeddownwardly' through the checkerwork 21 (when used) and thence to thesuperheater. x

The water gas particles, as they descend `through the carburetingchamber or hydrocarbon admission zone 26 and are carbureted by thepenetration of the hydrocarbon particles therein,

are cooled and the particles, as cooled and carbureted, have a greaterdensity and accelerated downward velocity, thus automatically drawingmore of the superheated water gas downwardly after them and into thecarburetingchamber or' zone and path of the hydrocarbon particlesadmitted therein with a relatively uniform descent of the gases throughthe carbureter. The hydrocarbon particles on their travel into the gasstream, continually meet hot gas particles and cracking is therebyaccelerated and completed in a relatively uniform manner.

As will be understood, the body of heat-absorbing material 24 may be ofsuch size and may be heated during the air-blasting period to suchdesired degree that, when the water gas is subsequently passedtherethrough and preheated, the temperature of the water gas and anyundecomposed steam carried therewith and the heat from the lining of thechamber will eiect the desired complete cracking of the enrichingAagents in a relatively rapid manner, and more nearly uniform and optimumtemperatures maintained.

It will further be noted that, with the carbureter and processdescribed, the arch and any checkerwork 24 thereon, is not exposed tothe cooling action of the hydrocarbons admitted to the carburetingchamber so that the arch and heat-absorbing material 25 and 24 remain ata much higher temperature than in the case of the carbureters heretoforecommonly used and hence, insure ready and easy ignition of the blastgases during each subsequent air-blasting period. Further, byeliminating or minimizing the cooling of the arch and checkerwork 25 and26, the latter are relieved of the excessive thermal shocks, such asincident to prior known carbureters, and therefore shut downs forrepairs or replacements are reduced to a For the enriching agents,various grades of liquid hydrocarbons may be employed and alsohydrocarbons, such as butane and propane, which latter are in thegaseousI state at ordinary atmospheric temperatures and pressures.Kerosene and gasoline, which are unsuitable for distribution as citygas, may also be employed. V

In ,those localities where natural gas is used as an enricher for watergas, the improved carbureted water gas set may be operated as a bluewater gas set normally, with partial enrichment by hydrocarbonsintroduced and cracked as above described in order to improve andstabilize the rate of use of natural gas` from day to day and Y foraugmenting the supply, as desired. Further,

. mate the heating values and burning characteristics of water gasenriched byor mixed with natural ,gas and of natural gas and hence maybe used instead of or supplemental to such enriched or mixed gases ornatural gas, when necessary, and without the necessity of burneradjustments and also eliminating other serious dimculties occurring whengases of different heating values and/or other characteristics are used.

When steam is admitted for up and down runs through the pipes 43 and 44,the entire or any desired portion of the resultant gas may be carburetedin the carbureter 20 as'obvious. When, however, a down run is made fromsteam admitted to the superheater at 48, the resultant gas from suchdown run will not be carbureted in the carbureter 20 but will be takenoil' through the pipe 50 and passed to such other apparatus, as desired.The preheat in the blue gas and steam may be varied in either or both oftwo ways, one by the amount or mass of heat-absorbing material in thewalls and/or body 24 of the carbureter, and the second, the quantity ofheat units stored in such heat-absorbing material depending upon thetemperature to which raised. For illustration, with the body ofheat-absorbing material indicated at 24 in the drawing entirely omittedand with only the heat-absorbing surfaces of the carbureting shellavailable, when the hydrocarbons are sprayed counter-current into andagainst the down-coming stream of gas and steam, the hydrocarbons aremixed and vaporized in the stream, the radiant heat of the carbureterlining together with the sensible heat in the gas stream entering thecarbureter heating the hydrocarbons, the heat stored in the gassuperheater being mainly relied upon to crack and gasify thehydrocarbons. Again, the mass of the body of the heat-absorbing material24 may be made such as to be no more than suillcient to insure theignition of the air blast gases at the beginning of each air blastingperiod, in which case relatively little preheat is imparted to thedescending stream of gas and steam and the injection of the hydrocarbonsbelow such body of heat-absorbing material avoids the cooling of said.body of heat-absorbing material and the improved process therebyprovides for the mixing, vaporizing and/or cracking of the hydrocarbonsin the downwardly moving stream with the superheater relied upon forcompleting of the cracking and/or gasification. Obviously, the greaterthe quantity or mass of the body of heat-absorbing material 24,/ thegreater the quantity of heat units at any given temperature, which maybe stored thereinvduring an air blasting period and which may then beabsorbed by the blue gas and steam during the following gasmakingperiod. By increasing the quantity or mass of said body ofheat-absorbing material l and/or the temperature to which it is heatedduring each air blasting period, the degree of preheating of the gasand/or steam may be controlled as desired up to the maximum temperatureor close to the highest temperature obtainable by the secondarycombustion of the air blast gases. As is well known, the temperature andthe time of contact during which the cracking and/orl gasincation of thehydrocarbons takes place,Y determine the character of the resultantproducts and it is obvious that with the process herein described, thetemperature of the gas and steam into which the hydrocarbons areinjected may be varied as desired and kept within relatively narrowlimits for the optimum conditions for producing the products of theAdesired character. The hydrogen of the water gas assistsin theformation of the hydrocarbons in that the hydrogen acts as afdeterrenttoward the formation of additional hydrogen and the depositing of carbonliberated thereby.V I

Referring now to the carbureter |20 shown in Figure 2, the same is ofthe same general character as the carbureter 20, previously described,except that the body of heat-absorbing material |24 is made larger; thecarbureting chamber or hydrocarbon admission zone |26 made larger andthe second body of heat-absorbing material |21 also made larger, whichlatter may be omitted, however, when desired. The upper pipes 228 forinjecting the enriching agents are located and disposed similar to thecorresponding pipes 28 of the first described form and the inclinedpipes 229 are disposed somewhat lower down in chamber and inclined at amore acute angle to the vertical, as shown- By employing a larger bodyof heat-absorbing material |24, a greater amount of heat may be storedand the preheat of the Water gas raised higher than with the smallerbody 24 of the rst described form. By

inclining the injector pipes 229 at a more acute angle to the vertical,the injection of the enriching agents may be made more nearly directlyfull counter current to the flow of the down--- wardly moving water gasto insure the proper. intermingling, heating, vaporization and crackingof various classes `of enriching agents in the desired quantity and tothe desired degree.

When the carbureter |20 is used in lieu of carbureter 20 as will beclear from Figure 3, described hereinafter, the passageway 240 isconnected to the passageway 40 from the generator and the passageway 252is connected into passage- Way 52 leading to the superheater. In suchar. rangement, the valve 253 may be omitted and also the valved pipes244, 245, and 255, which are now shown on Figure 2.

It is also contemplated that the carbureter |20 may be used in certaininstallations of suflicient size so that the vaporization and crackingof the hydrocarbons and formation of the suitable hydrocarbon gases iscompleted within the 'carbureter |20 and without using the superheater80. In such cases, the body voi' heat-absorbing material |21 may or maynot be used as desired. When the carbureter. |20 is used without thesuperheater 30, the carbureted water gas may be drawn off in anysuitable manner as through the valve controlled pipe 255; and the blastgases discharged through the pipe or passageway 254v having the controlvalve 253-therein. Further, in this arrangement, the vdown run steam maybe admitted to the bottom of the carbureter |20 through the valved inlet244, together with any oxygen-containing gas, such as `air admixedtherewith, if desired, admitted through the valved inlet 245.

Referring now to Figure 3, the apparatus there shown is similar toFigure 1 with, however, a carbureter of the type indicated in Figure 2and previously described, substituted for the carbureter 20 and anadditional similar carbureter connected to the generator at the oppositeside for down run gases. In said Figure 3, the carbureter 320 at theright thereof is shown with its inlet 340 connected by pipe |40 to thepassageway 40 from the generator I0 and the passage- '15 way 352connected into the passageway 52 leading to the superheater 30, which isonly partially indicated in order to accommodate the view on the sheet.When the superheater 30. is so used, the valved pipes 353, 344, 345, 355and 32| may be omitted and the carbureter 320 will then be operated inthe same manner as previously described for carbureters 20 and |23 ofFigures 1 and 2. When thesuperheater 30 is omitted, as

previously indicated, which may be desirable un' lei'tof thegenerator,for carbureting down run gas, the pipe' |34 at the base of the generatoris connected through pipe 240 to the inlet 440 at the top of thecarbureter. Air for a down blast is admitted in the upper portion of thegenerator through the valved inlet 2 |3'2 |4, as for instance after adown steam run, and the blastgases will then be passed through |34-240into vthe carbureter and burned in the combustion chamber 423 thereofwith secondary air admitted through 42|. The burned gases after passingdownwardly through the carbureter 420 are passed out l through thepassageway 454, the body of heat'- absorbing material 424, arch 425 andbody of heat-absorbing material 421 (when used) being thereby heated inthe same manner as previ- .ousl'y described` for the carbureters 20 and|20. The down run gas will follow the same course and be carburetedwithin the carbureting chamber 426 in the same manner as previouslydescribed in connection with the carbureters 2|) and |20. With thearrangement described utilizing the carbureter 420, up run steam and anyoxygen-containing gas such as air, which it may be desired to adm ixtherewith, are admitted through the valved inlets 444 and 445 andsuperheated in the upward passage through the carbureter 420 whence itis delivered to the bottom of the generator through 240 and |34, asobvious.

When the carbureter 420 is used for carbureting down run gas asdescribed in the preceding paragraph, the air for blasting the fuelcolumn which is admitted to the bottom of the generator may be preheatedin said carbureter 420, being admitted thereto through the valved inlet445 at the bottom thereof. In,this case, the air blasting inlet I3 maybe entirely dispensed with or, if desired, retained for use from time totime.

Further, with the arrangement just described,

when the carbureter 42|! is utilized' for carbureting down run gas withthesteam for a down run admitted at the top of the superheater 30 (seeFigure l) or at 344 of oarbureter 320 (see Figure 3) and steam for an uprun admitted through 444, the steam admission pipes 42, 43 and 44 to thegenerator may be dispensed with as well as the connection I1 and thevalve 4|. In this latter arrangement also, the air inlets 2 |3 and 32|may be combined into a single valved inletfthe latter being utilized foradmission of both down air blasting and secondary combustion oiV theblasting gases from up air blasting. In the same arrangement, when thecarbureter 423 is not utilized. for carbureting down run gas,

the down run blast ,gases resultant from air admitted at 2|3 lat the topof the generator or at H3 'at the top of the superheater 30, may betaken off from the bottom of the generator through the valved outlet|34, valve 5| being closed. Further, with valve 4| in place and closed,the resultant blast gases from down blast air admitted at 2|3, may bepassed through the pipe to the carbureter 320 and burned therein bysecondary air admitted through the pipe 32|, as previously described.

From the preceding description, it will be seen ,that the temperaturesof the water gas as delivered into the-carbureting chamber may be moreeffectively controlled within the desired limits than -in priorarrangements, such as referred to; the formation of objectionablecompounds and deposits of carbonare avoided; iiuctuations in water gaseffected without appreciably cooling the arch, whereby ignition of theblast gases of -25 thereof and the desired intermingling with the asucceeding period may be readily eiected, and

the water gas may be effectively enriched to a greater degree than inprior methods.

It will also be seen, from the preceding', that not only does theinvention` provide for improved means and method for manufacturingcarbureted water gas in a set employing a generator, car- 4;

bureter and superheater, in the arrangement shown in Figure 1 for eitherup run gas only or both up and; down run gas but also, when the otherarrangements involving the use of the carbureters |23, 320 and 420 areemployed as described, further improved results are obtained. When downair blasting is employed with the resultant blast gases leaving eitherthe base of the generator or passing to the carbureterrand burnedtherein, the carbureting can be carried out with equal efflciency.

The invention also provides for the use oi' a 4carbureter larger thanheretofore usually eminto and against a descending stream of blue' watergas and/ or steam; the preheating of such gas and steamprior tocarburetion; and a meansv and method insuring ignitionA of the blowgases at the beginning of each blasting period. .The`

invention further provides'for the use of an add itional said improvedcarbureter for carbureting f the down run gases and which is alsoadapted to superheat the up run steam and/or preheat the air for upblasting while at the sa'me time the improved carbureter and/orsuperheater occupying the-usual position in the regular water gas setare similarly adapted to superheat the down run steam and/or preheat thedown blast air. As

will be apparent, the up blasting with air pro vides a'hot zone in thelower portion of the fuel bed, vthe down blasting with air provides "ahot zone in another portion of the fuel bed and the two hot zonesthereby formed increase the steam decomposition and gas generatingcapacity of the fuel bed.

' Although I have herein shown and described what I now consider thepreferred manner of carrying out the invention, the same is intended byway of description and not by way of limitation, since it is obviousthat the apparatus and methods may be varied to suit dierent conditionsand requirements in particular situations, all changes and modificationscoming within the scope of the appended claims being contemplated.

I claim:

l. The herein described process of manufacturing carbureted water gaswhich includes: blasting a bed of incandescent fuel with anoxygencontaining gas and, in alternate periods, admitting steam thereto;substantially completely burning the blast gases and thereafter passingthe resultant products downwardly, first through a body ofheat-absorbing material and then downwardly through a carburetingchamber; during the gas-making period, passing the generated water gasalso downwardly first through said body of heat-absorbing material andthen downwardly through the carbureting chamber; and, simultaneouslywith the passage of the water gas through the chamber, carbureting thewater gas by projecting fluid enriching agents countercurrent of andinto the downwardly moving stream of water gas.

2. 'I'he herein described improvement in the method of carbureting watergas wherein air blasting periods are alternated with gas-making periodswhich includes: during each air blasting period, blasting a fuel. bed toincandescence with air and passing the blast gases successivelydownwardly through a body of heat-absorbing material and then downwardlythrough a carbureting chamber; burning the blast gases by admitting theair for secondary combustion thereto prior to the passage of the blastgases through said body of heat-absorbing material; during a gas-makingperiod, generating water gas by admitting steam to the incandescent fueland passing the water gas thereby formed also successively downwardlyfirst through said body of heat-absorbing material to preheat the watergas and then downwardly through said carbureting chamber; and,simultaneously with the downward passage of the preheated water gasthrough the carbureting chamber, carbureting the water gas by injectingliquid hydrocarbons into the gas stream by spraying thereinto againstand at an angle to the line of flow of the moving stream.

3. The herein' described process of manufacturing carbureted water gaswhich includes: passing a stream of preheated water gas downwardlythrough a carbureting chamber and, simultaneously carbureting the watergas by injecting uid hydrocarbons into said stream' counter current tothe stream and toward the topof the chamber.

4. The herein described process of manufacturing carbureted water gaswhich includes: passing a stream of preheated water gas downwardlythrough a carbureting chamber and, simultaneously carbureting the watergas by injecting liquid hydrocarbons into said stream from a pluralityof points around the periphery of the stream in a direction toward thetop of the chamber; and then passing the carbureted water gas from thebottom of the carbureting chamber through a body of previously heatedmaterial.

5. The improvement in the method of manufacturing carbureted water gaswhich includes: air blasting a generator fuel bed to incandescence andalternately generating water gas by f admitting steam to said fuel bed;during the air blasting period, admitting air to the blast gases to burn the same; passing said gases downwardly within a carbureter incontact with heat absorbing material therein and thence downwardlythrough a hydrocarbon admission zone; and, during the water gasgenerating period, passing the water gas downwardly in the carbureter inlike manner and maintaining said heat absorbing material at asufficiently high temperature for the ignition of the air blast gasesand carbureting the water gas by injecting fluid hydrocarbons into andagainst the descending stream of water gas below said heat absorbingmaterial.

6. The improvement in the method of manufacturing carbureted water gaswhich includes: air blasting a generator fuel bed to incandescence andalternately generating water gas by admitting steam to said fuel bed;during the air blasting period, admitting air to the blast gases to burnthe same; passing said gases through passages in heat absorbing materialand thence downwardly through a hydrocarbon admission zone; and, duringthe water gas generating period, passing the water gas through saidpassages in said heat absorbing material to be heated thereby and thencein a vertically downwardly moving stream through a hydrocarbon,admission zone; and injecting fluid hydrocarbons into and against thevertically downwardly moving stream of heated water gas for Vaporizingand cracking said hydrocarbons by the sensible heat of said heated watergas.

7. The herein described process of manufacturing carbureted water gaswhich includes: blasting a bed of incandescent fuel with air and. inalternate periods, admitting steam thereto; burning the blast gases andpassing the resultant products downwardly through a carbureting chamber;during the gas-making periods, preheating and passing the generatedwater gas without substantial change of direction downwardly through thecarbureting chamber; and carbureting the water gas by projecting fluidenriching agents into and against the downwardly moving stream of gassimultaneously with the passage thereof through the chamber.

8. In the process of manufacturing carbureted water gas by alternate airand steam blasting periods, the improvement which consists in: duringeach air blasting period, burning the blast gases and passing the samealways downwardly through a carbureting chamber; during each steamblasting period, passing the generated water gas alwaysdownwardly'through the carbureting chamber heated by the blast gases ofthe preceding air blasting period; and during each steam blastingperiod, carbureting the water gas by injecting fluid enriching agents inan upward direction into the stream of water gas in its downward passagethrough the carbureting chamber.

9. The herein described process of manufacturing carbureted water gaswhich includes: during each air blasting period blasting a generatorfuel bed with alternate up and down air blasts; passing the blast gasesof both up and down air blasts to and downwardly through a carbureterand burning the blast gases by secondary air admitted thereto; duringeach water gas making period, passing steam alternately up and downthrough the fuel bed and, similarly, passing 7i the generated water gasfrom both up and down runs downwardly .through the carbureter; and,simultaneously with the passage of the water gas through the carbureter,carbureting the water gas -by injecting fluid hydrocarbons into thedownwardly moving water gas stream at an upward angle.

10. In the manufacture of carbureted water gas in an apparatus includingan upright carbureter having heat-absorbing material disposed within thepassage for the gases through the carbureter and an unobstructedhydrocarbon admission chamber below said heat-absorbing material, theimprovement which consists in inter. mittently heating saidheat-absorbing material and hydrocarbon admission chamber by thesecondary combustion of air blast gases passed downwardly in contactwith said heat-absorbing material and downwardly through said admissionchamber; alternately with said .heating periods, passing water gas in adownwardly moving stream in contact with said heat-absorbing materialand downwardly through said unobstructed admission chamber; andcarbureting the water gas by admitting uid hydrocarbons into the watergas as it passes downwardly through said unobstructed admission chamber.

11. In the manufacture of carburetedwater gas in an apparatus including:an upright carbureter having top inlet, a bottom outlet, heatabsorbingmaterial in the passage therethrough in the upper portion thereof and acarbureting chamber below said heat-absorbing material unobstructed fromthe heat-absorbing material to the outlet the improvement which consistsin; during each air blasting period burning and passing the blast gasesdownwardly through the carbureter from the inlet to the outlet and incontact with said heat-absorbing material; during each water gas makingperiod, similarly passing the water gas downwardly through thecarbureter successively in contact with the heat-absorbing material andthence through the unobstructed carbureting chamber to the outlet; and,during each said water gas making period, carbureting the water gas byadmitting fluid hydrocarbons into said chamber below the heat-absorbingmaterial and into the downwardly moving water gas stream.

12. In the manufacture of carbureted water gas in an apparatus includingan upright car` bureter having refactory material within the upperportion thereof and a hydrocarbon admission zone therebelow providedwith means for injecting the hydrocarbons in an upward direction, theimprovement which consists in: .during each air blasting period, passingthe blast gases in a general downward direction in contact with saidmaterial and through said zone and heating the material by the secondarycombustion of the blast gases; alternately of each air blasting period,passing water gas similarly in a general downward direction in contactwith said material and through said zone; and carburetingA the water gasduring its passage through said zone by injecting uid hydrocarbons in anupward

